BUILDING Foundational Theme · 2016. 7. 7. · weighed the ideas, opinions, and advice we have...

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BUILDING

THE WORKFORCE

OF TOMORROW

A Shared Responsibility

The Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel

Report submitted to the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario

June 2016

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Letter to the Premier

Dear Premier Wynne,

On behalf of The Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel, I am pleased

to submit our strategy report and recommendations. It is our hope that this

report will serve as a guide for actions that, upon implementation, will help

to grow the highly skilled workforce, and will strengthen Ontario’s economic

prospects. We also hope that this report will assist in highlighting the good work

that organizations and communities are already undertaking in this regard.

Our Panel recognizes our mandate as important and timely. The issues identified

in this report are not necessarily new, but demographic and technological

changes add a real urgency. Action is required now so that the transforming

Ontario economy can maximize the opportunities being presented to it.

Over the past months, we have engaged stakeholders and have carefully

weighed the ideas, opinions, and advice we have received. We have also

considered how our recommendations could be informed by effective

public policy, best practice and good research.

Our Panel recognizes that Ontario needs to move beyond established patterns

with respect to workforce development. It requires new and collaborative

approaches – to support individual talent, innovation, and entrepreneurship and

to facilitate new incentives and opportunities. To use a sports analogy, we note

that successful coaches actively seek out and recruit talented players. They

develop each player’s individual strengths and skills, and through discipline

and patience, build a team that wins. They also have robust player development

strategies that include identifying and providing real playing opportunities

for young players through minor league systems. What is Ontario’s equivalent

for labour force development?

The Panel feels that the recommendations contained in this report are responsive

to the needs of Ontario’s workforce requirements, and if all partners step up

and work together, Ontario will have the human capital it requires to grow

and prosper.

Success will require that all partners – employers, educators, labour, communities

and governments at all levels – rethink what it means to learn, understand how

the workplace is changing, and consider how respective roles and responsibilities

must adapt so that our people and our economy can reach full potential.

We thank you for the opportunity to provide advice on this very important

subject, and we trust that the government will do its part to ensure the

successful implementation of the Panel’s recommendations.

Sean Conway, Chair

The Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel

1The Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel

Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Findings of the Panel and Key Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1. Foundational Theme: Partnerships and Local Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2. Foundational Theme: Labour Market Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3. Experiential Learning and Mentorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

4. Promotion of Multiple Career Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

5. Strategic Investment in Human Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

6. Skills and Competencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Government’s Role in Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Role of the Federal Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Measuring Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Appendix A: Summary of Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Appendix B: Proposed Timelines for Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Appendix C: What the Panel Heard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Appendix D: Panel Mandate and Scope of Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Appendix E: Expert Panel Member Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Appendix F: Summary of Stakeholders Consulted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

2 The Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel

Executive Summary

In fall 2015, Ontario appointed five members to The Premier’s Highly Skilled

Workforce Expert Panel (Panel) – Chair, Sean Conway, and members Dr. Carol

Campbell, Robert Hardt, Alison Loat, and Pradeep Sood (see Appendix E:

Expert Panel Member Biographies). Panel members were selected based

on their professional experience, knowledge of the business climate, and

relationships with a cross-section of stakeholder groups, and on their under-

standing of employers, the education and public sectors, and issues related

to the labour market.

The Panel was asked to develop an integrated strategy to help the province’s

current and future workforce adapt to the demands of a technology-driven

knowledge economy – with a goal of doing so by bridging the worlds of skills

development, education and training. The Panel was tasked to recommend

a clear agenda and key set of directions for government and stakeholders,

by August 2016.

During the course of its work, the Panel met with a wide range of interested

parties – employers, educators, labour, students, worker representatives, training

organizations, and community groups, among others. The Panel attended a

number of public meetings including the 2016 Summit on Talent and Skills

in the New Economy, held in Oshawa in late January 2016. It also reviewed

and considered the latest research on best practices in other jurisdictions

in Canada and around the world. The culmination of this work is presented in

this final strategy document (report).

The report has been developed based on the premise that Ontario’s workforce

has long been its strength, but to compete and succeed in a fast-paced economy,

Ontario’s workforce must be equipped with skills and opportunities that meet

all the needs of the jobs of today and tomorrow. The Panel envisions an Ontario

economy in which employers understand that human capital is as valuable

and necessary to business and productivity growth as other forms of capital.

This would also be an economy where entrepreneurship and innovation are

encouraged and nurtured.


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Building the Workforce of Tomorrow

Executive Summary

In the short term, this means that Ontario employers must join their partners

in education, labour, government and elsewhere to actively and creatively

address regional and sectoral needs in the labour market and better integrate

underrepresented groups including older workers, new Canadians, Indigenous

peoples, and persons with disabilities, in an economy that is being rapidly

transformed by both demographic and technological change.

The Panel has made 28 recommendations in six key themes and two other

areas. The government should take a leadership role in implementing the

following four recommendations:

1. Establish a Planning and Partnership Table (PPT) chaired by

representatives from employers, education and government.

This Table would be a formal institutionalized body responsible for

producing results in the area of skills development and experiential

learning opportunities that contribute to increased linkages to

employment and entrepreneurship. The PPT should not be a

government-driven body but should be strongly and actively

supported by all stakeholders. (Recommendation 1-1)

2. Establish a Workforce Planning and Development Office, in

the provincial government, to drive the delivery of the Panel’s

recommendations and to support the government’s role at the

Planning and Partnership Table. (Recommendation 1-2)

3. The Ontario government must take a leadership role in developing

and making generally available high quality labour market infor-

mation so that everyone can make better decisions based on

timely, relevant, and understandable information. The Panel

strongly encourages the Ontario Government to use the Forum

of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) to drive this important reform.

(Recommendation 2-1)

4. Expanding experiential learning opportunities is critical to success

in the area of skills development. Therefore, Ontario should commit

to strengthening and expanding experiential learning opportunities

across secondary, post-secondary, and adult learning environments.

As a first step, Ontario should commit to ensuring that every student


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Executive Summary

has at least one experiential learning opportunity by the end of

secondary school (in addition to the existing volunteer requirements)

and at least one by the time they graduate from post-secondary

education. (Recommendation 3-2)

In the short term, the Panel recommends that priority should be placed on

establishing the Planning and Partnership Table, as this group will provide

the necessary foundation to support the implementation of the remaining

recommendations.

Implementation of these recommendations is a shared responsibility among

all parties. These parties must work together to: 1) communicate and be open

minded to the possibilities of different ways of learning; 2) understand the

changing nature of work; and 3) rethink traditional roles and responsibilities

when it comes to effective and timely labour market development.

The Panel feels strongly that effective skills training is also a shared responsibility

and that all parties must work together. Everyone involved must understand

that communities have a critically important role to play in the design and

delivery of effective programs. Successful skills training is a foundational

aspect of local economic development and it requires community leadership,

community engagement, and sensitivity to local/regional conditions. There is

no substitute for strong, credible intermediaries who can focus community

attention and support for the important work that must be done in this vital area

of public policy. The rapidly changing global economy requires our meeting

this challenge.


Introduction

Today, Ontario operates within a global economic environment that the

World Economic Forum has described as the beginning of the Fourth Industrial

Revolution.

Ontario’s workforce is diverse and recognized as well credentialed. The

percentage of students graduating within five years of starting high school

in Grade 9 reached 85.5% in 2015, up from 84.3% in 2014.1 In 2014, 66% of

Ontario adults had a post-secondary degree or diploma, more than any

member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development (OECD).2

Developments in previously disjointed fields, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and genetics, are building on and amplifying one another. Concurrent to this technological revolution is a set of broader socioeconomic, geopolitical and demographic developments with nearly equivalent impacts to the technological factors.3

World Economic Forum The Future of Jobs, 2016

Yet looking ahead, challenges exist. To compete and succeed in this fast-paced

economy, Ontario’s workforce must be equipped with skills that meet all the

needs of the jobs of today and tomorrow, and with the opportunities to realize

their dreams and aspirations. And while educational institutions, employers,

intermediaries and governments (federal, provincial, and municipal/local) are

all engaged in training and developing Ontario’s workers for a wide range of

occupations, research also points to gaps that must be bridged and work that

must be done to more fully ensure a highly skilled workforce for the future.


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eThe Ontario economy is being rapidly transformed by demographic change.

Ontario’s Aging Demographics

Sources: Statistics Canada and Ontario Ministry of Finance

Intermediaries play important roles in bringing partners together to

understand the current and future workforce needs and to facilitate

local solutions. They include organizations such as Ontario Federation

of Indigenous Friendship Centres, Chambers of Commerce, workforce

planning boards, and non-profit and business organizations.4

The Panel considered the following a starting point for discussion.

Troubling trends in literacy and numeracy

•According to the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment,

Ontario students performed at the Canadian average and above the

OECD average in reading, mathematics and science.5 However, between

2009 and 2013, Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO)

testing showed a decline in math results – 4% for Grade 3 students and

7% for Grade 6 students.6


Introduction


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Introduction

•For 2011-2012, The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult

Competencies measured skill competencies in the following areas: literacy,

numeracy and problem solving in a technology-rich environment (PS-TRE).

Ontario scored above the OECD and Canadian averages in literacy.7 Average

numeracy scores for adult Ontarians were slightly above the Canadian

average but were below the OECD average.8

› 47%9 of Ontarians have literacy scores and 53%10 have numeracy scores

below Level 3 (identified by ABC Life Literacy as the level required to

succeed in a technology-rich environment).11

According to the 2013 Report on the Pan-Canadian Assessment of Science, Reading, and Mathematics, the mean score of Ontario Grade 8 students in science12 and reading13 was significantly higher than that of Canadian students overall. The results for Ontario Grade 8 student achievement in mathematics were statistically similar to that in Canada overall.14

The Panel heard and read reports that indicated several groups are

underrepresented in Ontario’s labour market. Not only is this unacceptable

in a society as diverse as ours, but Ontario is losing out on the economic and

social gains that would be associated with their participation. For example,

in a Canadian context, the national economy would experience an estimated

gain of $13.4 to $17 billion if individuals with international/interprovincial

credentials were better recognized.15

In 2015, Ontario’s overall unemployment rate for those aged 15 years and older

was 6.8%, compared to the following populations:16

•11.9% for Indigenous peoples that live off reserve (includes persons who

reported being an Aboriginal person, that is, First Nations, Métis or Inuk [Inuit],

or those who reported more than one identity).17 There is strong evidence

that official statistics under-report the trends.

•16% for people with disabilities according to the 2015 Initial Report from

the Partnership Council on Employment Opportunities for People with

Disabilities.18

•14.7% for youth.19


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Introduction

Ontario’s Ministry of Finance projects that, over the next 25 years, immigration will account for all population growth in the working age population.20

Impact of Immigration on Working-Age Population in Ontario

Sources: Statistics Canada and Ontario Ministry of Finance

•For immigrants aged 25-54, the unemployment rate (at 10.9%) is highest

among those who have been in the province less than five years. While 80%

of very recent immigrants to Ontario have post-secondary education, only

55% are working in highly skilled jobs.21


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Introduction

While 83% of Canadian education providers believe they are developing high-performing graduates, only 34% of employers and 44% of the graduates themselves believe they are prepared for the workforce.22

McKinsey & Company, 2015

Canadians and Canadian organizations are ill-prepared for economic change

•As part of a recent study, Deloitte examined the Canadian economy to better

understand whether Canadian companies are prepared for the expected

technology-driven disruption. Deloitte surveyed 700 business leaders

across Canada. The study found that 35% of Canadian firms surveyed

are wholly unprepared for disruption to their industries, and 43% of firms

believe they are better prepared than they actually are.23

•The Conference Board of Canada found that, in 2009, 31% of adult Canadians

aged 25–64 participated in some form of non-formal job-related education.

While this is slightly higher than the OECD average (28%), it is well behind

leading European countries such as Sweden (61%), Norway (47%), and

Finland (44%), as well as the United States (33%).24

Given the rapid pace of change in the economy and the crucial importance of

a highly skilled workforce to Ontario’s economic future, the Panel recommends

focused attention to these issues.


Vision

The Panel recognizes this as an opportunity to develop a shared vision and

goals for growing a highly skilled workforce in Ontario, and to provide practical

recommendations for the path forward.

During the Panel’s engagement, stakeholders wanted to know the definition

of a “highly skilled workforce”. Some thought this project was about enhancing

the profile of the skilled trades; others thought it was about increasing science,

technology, engineering and math education and training; while others thought

it was about enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship. The Panel feels that

it is more useful for the province to focus on the workforce as a whole.

Our highly skilled workforce is diverse and vibrant. It consists of skilled

tradespeople and engineers, musicians and artists, entrepreneurs and innovators,

scientists and farmers, public servants and health care workers, and those that

work in retail and in hospitality, to name but a few.

Our vision for this workforce involves:

•People from a young age are aware of all of the opportunities available to

them, and they are given the opportunities to develop competencies, and

skills, and to have hands-on experiences that allow them to pursue their

passion, no matter what pathway they choose to take;

•People feel empowered to take responsibility for their own educational and

career decisions and are committed to developing their own talent and skills

at all stages of life and learning;

•People have a strong foundation in literacy, numeracy, and essential skills, –

i.e., the skills individuals need to learn, work and adapt in the ever-changing

knowledge-based economy;

•People display cultural competencies, have a high degree of civic literacy,

and respect the diversity of all people in the workplace; and

•Employers value international experiences within their organizations.


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Vision

In order to achieve this vision, employers, educators, training agents, intermedi-

aries, labour, service providers, Indigenous and community organizations must

collaborate. Stakeholders must come together and understand the changing

nature of the economy, and proactively develop regional and sectoral solutions

including plans to develop appropriate skills and related competencies.

To implement this shared vision, it will be important for government to transcend

the traditional silos and ensure its programs speak to present and future reality.

Success requires that all parties rethink what it means to learn and understand

their roles and responsibilities for making sure that individuals are able to fulfill

their potential.

Indeed, in a future of rapid technological change and widespread automation, the determining factor – or crippling limit – to innova-tion, competitiveness and growth is less likely to be the availability of capital than the existence of a skilled work force….Business will increasingly have to work with educators and governments to help education systems keep up with the needs of the labour market. Given rapid change in the skill sets required for many occupations, business must redirect investment to on-the-job training and life-long learning.25

Klaus Schwab Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum

In the short term, success involves:

•A clear government approach that demonstrates how skills development is

tied to Ontario’s economic development priorities. This includes, for example,

explicit links between provincial growth sector strategies and provincial

training programs.

•Examples of successful partnerships between educational institutions and

employers are shared, and modeling of these partnerships is encouraged.

Local champions are encouraged to participate in efforts to grow a highly

skilled workforce and develop solutions to solve the skills gap at the regional

and sectoral levels.


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Vision

•An enhanced focus on foundational skills in the workplace, induction/

workplace orientation for new employees, and employment opportunities

for underrepresented groups.

•Employers would provide on-the-job training for all workers, including

literacy, essential skills and competency training to create a workforce

that better adapts to technological change.

•Experiential learning, including volunteerism and community work, is

undertaken by more employers and individuals, and recognized by

companies, educational institutions and communities as providing valuable

experience. Employers as well as individuals, including new immigrants,

adults transitioning within the workforce, students and parents, understand

the value of participating in order to develop the skills that employers require.

•Fostering resilience, creativity and entrepreneurship in an economy that

has a greater call on these competencies.

In the long-term, the Panel envisions an Ontario economy in which employers

understand that human capital is as valuable and necessary to business and

productivity growth as other forms of capital. Measures of success include:

•Better alignment of federal and provincial initiatives related to growing a

highly skilled workforce, especially in immigration policy, and much improved

labour market information.

•All employers take a long-term and proactive approach to workforce planning,

not only investing in their top performers but recognizing the importance

of upskilling for those at the lower end of the skills spectrum.

•Local leaders proactively work with partners to anticipate labour market

needs and develop solutions to address those needs at the regional level.

•Educational institutions understand they have a role to play not only in

preparing the future workforce, but also in actively seeking ways to help

employers, especially in the private sector, achieve their workforce planning

goals.

•Intermediary groups such as chambers of commerce and business associations

help to implement solutions, focusing particularly on engaging small and

medium-sized enterprises.


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Vision

•Government encourages and supports these efforts with strategic investments

and programs, and places a greater emphasis on measuring the impact of

programs and investments.

In our experiences, these things were true of the cities, large or small, that were working best…A standard question we’d ask soon after arrival was “Who makes this town go?” The answers varied widely. Sometimes it was a mayor or a city-council member. Sometimes it was a local business titan or real-estate developer. Sometimes a university president or professor, a civic activist, an artist, a saloon-keeper, a historian, or a radio personality. …What mattered was that the question had an answer. And the more quickly it was provided, the better shape the town was in.26


Findings of the Panel and Key Themes

As a result of discussions with stakeholders, the Panel has identified six key

themes and two areas as crucial to growing a highly skilled workforce. These

are based on recurring themes that came up throughout the engagement

process. Additional research has validated all six themes as pressing issues.

This section includes – for each of the six themes – what is known about the

theme (including research, best practices and existing government programs

and policies that could be leveraged), the long-term goal, and recommended

actions to reach that goal.


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The Problem the Panel Addressed

The Panel was encouraged to see several examples of successful and creative

partnerships among stakeholders. But the reality is that Ontario must do more

to embed these collaborative practices in their normal business activities.

A symptom of working in silos is the “skills gap” discussion that has been

ongoing for decades. During engagement, the Panel found that the nature of

Ontario’s “skills gap” depends on the region or sector being examined, and that

no single solution or stakeholder would be able to close this gap. (See Appendix F:

Summary of Stakeholders Consulted.)

The “skills gap” is broadly defined as the difference between the skills that employers need, and the skills that are available in prospective employees.

This finding is confirmed in a recent Business Council of Canada (BCC) (formerly

the Canadian Council of Chief Executives) survey of the 90 largest Canadian

private-sector employers. It found that large Canadian companies are not facing

a comprehensive skills shortage. However, acquiring/developing leaders and

specialized talent for critical roles like power engineering, IT security, certain

Red Seal trades, mobile software development and engineering is a problem.

Therefore for this group of businesses, shortages tend to be concentrated in

certain sectors, occupations and regions.27

The Panel recognizes that the province is diverse and that regional approaches

are required. It saw and heard of many practices with promising partnerships

and structures. However these examples have often not been evaluated to

measure their impact and outcomes.

Hamilton Mayor Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development (Hamilton):

The Task Force was created in 2015 to address the following:

• Lack of skilled tradespersons for new and expanding employers in

Hamilton;

• Aging demographics;


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• Strong interest in collaboration throughout the city; and

• The need to articulate/understand the role of education in workforce

initiatives.

Created by Mayor Fred Eisenberger, membership consists of local

industry, business, labour, education and government leaders. It is

chaired by Mohawk College President Ron McKerlie.

The Task Force will submit a formal report to Hamilton City Council

in late summer or fall, 2016.

County of Simcoe, Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board (SMWDB), and Employment Ontario Service Providers:

The County of Simcoe and the SMWDB have joined forces to help

address local labour issues in the region. These two organizations have

already successfully embarked on a number of programs aimed at

addressing supply and demand issues in the labour market including

Breakfast Simulcasts for employers and a county-wide job posting board

(jobcentralsm.ca). This past February they hosted the first ever On-line

Job Fair in Simcoe and Muskoka to connect employers to local job

seekers. SMWDB and the County of Simcoe have heard from employers

that seeking out the right candidate for postings can be difficult and

therefore determined that offering this opportunity would provide a

new tool for employers and job seekers to connect. The event connected

2,882 job seekers to more than 80 employers – resulting in approximately

1,800 one-on-one conversations and interviews.

“We know the County can play an important role in working with

our municipalities and businesses to foster economic prosperity.

This partnership is an important step in our renewed commitment to

attract investment, support our businesses, create jobs and promote

all we have to offer outside our borders”, said County of Simcoe Warden

Gerry Marshall.

http://jobcentralsm.ca


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Bombardier, Centennial College, and University of Toronto:

These partners have formed a not-for-profit enterprise, DAIR (Downsview

Aerospace Innovation and Research), which is working with a consortium

of like-minded academic institutions (including Ryerson University and

York University) and industry (Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell, MDA, United

Technologies, SAFRAN – Messier Dowty) and other multi-national

companies to establish a hub of training, innovation and product

development for aerospace in Toronto.

Toronto is currently the second largest hub for aerospace in Canada and

Canada is the fifth largest aerospace economy in the world. This activity

hopes to augment these rankings.

Forward-looking local initiatives that are making progress in addressing the skills gaps in their regions embody at least one of the following attributes:

1. Multiple employers in the region or industry sectors cooperate with one another and with educational institutions to design and fund initiatives and to train and hire graduates.

2. Classroom education is integrated with opportunities to apply new concepts and skills in actual or simulated work settings – an approach proven to be the way adults learn best.

3. Training focuses on offering workers career pathways, not just skills for the initial job.28

The Panel recognizes that achieving a shared vision for a highly skilled workforce

will take time. In the short term, priority should be placed on implementing

recommendations 1-1 and 1-2, as these bodies will provide the necessary foun-

dation to support the implementation of the remaining recommendations.


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1. Foundational Theme: Partnerships and Local Leadership

Growing a highly skilled workforce is everyone’s responsibility. This theme

recognizes that success will require partnership, communication and collabora-

tion among all parties as they deal with existing realities and anticipate future

needs of the workforce.

What we know

•In 2016, the Conference Board of Canada released a study stating that

partnerships between business and post-secondary institutions help to

generate and transfer new knowledge and technology, as well as address

the skills and employment needs of students and employers.29

We need to find ways to connect highly skilled Canadian military veterans and serving reservists to rewarding career opportunities in Ontario communities. Local partnerships are required to tap into this talent, and programs could be created and modeled on existing job matching programs.

Stakeholder Feedback

•The Business Council of Canada also acknowledged the importance of

business and post-secondary institution partnerships. In 2015, it created a

Business-Higher Education Roundtable with a membership that includes

executives from the private sector, universities, colleges and polytechnics.30

•Ontario colleges have shown leadership in developing partnerships with

employers. The college system was designed to meet the needs of industry

and colleges have many examples of training partnerships with employers

who participate on program advisory committees advising on curriculum

and labour needs.

•Multi-sector partnerships currently existing in Ontario could be leveraged

to build on relationships and work already underway. These partnerships

have often not been evaluated and analyzed to understand key factors

for success. As one example, the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation

(OCWI) is a collaboration led by Ryerson University with participation by


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Humber College, Collège Boréal, George Brown College and eight other

partner organizations. Its purpose is to provide a one-window source of

best practices, to drive innovative approaches in employment and training

programming, and to address labour market challenges in Ontario.31

Elements of a strong partnership:

• The benefits to both partners are clearly identified at the outset and are seen to be mutually beneficial and tangible;

• The goals of the partnership are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound;

• Opportunities are created to provide leadership development at the business; and

• Research opportunities are created that address business challenges by creating novel solutions to problems.

Colleges Ontario

•Discussion on these issues has been ongoing for many years. The Panel

has observed that without clear focus and associated accountability for each

partner, progress is difficult to achieve. The Panel’s recommendations will

focus on addressing these two particular issues.

The goal is...

A shared sense of responsibility and on-going communication among parties

that will ensure:

•Current and future employees have the skills that employers need;

•Employers recognize the importance of investing in the training and

development of their employees; and

•Post-secondary institutions become the economic engines of communities

through partnerships with employers, educational institutions and

intermediaries.


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Actions to get there

Recommendation 1-1: Establish a Planning and Partnership Table (PPT) jointly

chaired by representatives from employers, education and government. This

Table would be a formal, institutionalized body responsible for driving change

and developing actionable solutions related to skills, talent development and

experiential learning opportunities. This PPT should not be a government-driven

body but rather a mechanism in which all partners are invested and action is

their primary concern.

Membership would include: employers, students, labour, educational institutions,

training agencies, intermediaries, Employment Ontario service providers,

Indigenous and community organizations.

The mandate would include:

•Developing a three-year provincial

implementation plan for growing a

highly skilled workforce.

•Supporting the administration and

evaluation of new and existing pilot

projects.

•Enhancing employer engagement

in the collection and dissemination

of provincial and local labour market

information.

•Developing approaches to

“institutionalize” pilot projects that

have demonstrated best practices, and

measuring the success of these pilots.

•Engaging employers and their

associations directly in addressing

the barriers and challenges faced

with hiring people with disabilities.

•Ensuring that all workers in Ontario display cultural competency that includes

knowledge and awareness of First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories and rights.

•Building culturally competent, safe and inclusive workplaces.


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Growth Sectors

The Planning and Partnership Table would focus on developing solutions for

Ontario’s priority growth sectors. Growth sectors should be selected by the PPT,

using the following criteria:

•High potential for growth in the short, medium and longer-term.

•Impact on the current economy.

•Impact or anticipated impact of technological and demographic change

on present and future staffing needs.

•Demonstrated capacity for collaboration.

•Nature and transferability of skills required.

•Priority placed on talent development.

Industry Tables would be established as sub-groups of the Planning and

Partnership Table. The organization of these Tables should build on the

well-established model found in colleges and in parts of the university system.

Membership would include: employers (particularly those from the growth

sectors identified by the PPT), labour, post-secondary institutions, training

agencies, intermediaries, service providers, and Indigenous and community

organizations.

Industry Tables would be selected based on growth sectors or regions selected

by the PPT. These Industry Tables would be responsible for:

•Addressing mismatches between labour market supply and demand in the

sectors or regions.

•Leveraging existing relationships with employers to determine the skills and

qualifications that employers are seeking, and develop solutions to align

curriculum, training and experiential learning opportunities for students,

new immigrants and adults transitioning within the workforce to address

these needs.

•Sharing best practices to inform provincial strategies.


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Recommendation 1-2: Establish a Workforce Planning and Development Office,

in the provincial government, to drive the delivery of the Panel’s recommendations

and to support the government’s role at the Planning and Partnership Table. The

Panel feels strongly that this Office should have an inter-ministerial orientation

and be outward looking. The mandate of this Office would include:

•Leading initiatives that support workforce planning where key partnerships

between employers, community and educational institutions are critical.

•Collaborating with employers, labour, educational institutions, training


organizations to monitor and discuss the impact of the changing nature of

the workplace on the existing and new labour force. This information would

be reported to the PPT, as required.

•Monitoring policy files that intersect economic growth and talent develop-

ment, including adult education, immigration, employment and training,

the Business Growth Initiative and regional economic development, and

identifying opportunities for greater alignment and coordination.

•Applying a talent development lens to major government policy initiatives,

such as the recently announced Climate Change Action Plan, Patients First:

Action Plan for Health Care, and response to the Truth and Reconciliation

Commission recommendations.

•Commissioning research and evaluation on emerging and priority areas of

labour focus and impact, for example, the changing technological nature

of the workplace.

•Giving oversight of the current pilot being run by the Ministry of Advanced

Education and Skills Development regarding the Local Employment Planning

Councils (LEPCs).

•Giving oversight of workforce planning boards and the Ontario Centre for

Workforce Innovation.

•Collaborating with employment and training organizations that work with

underrepresented groups to understand current barriers to their accessing

employment and develop appropriate solutions to support increased

representation in the labour market.

•Working with the federal government to identify opportunities for alignment

and collaboration.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/business-growth-initiative

http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/programs/lepc.html



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Recommendation 1-3: To ensure focused implementation of recommendation

1-1, incent sector specific partnerships between post-secondary institutions and

employers using the Differentiation Policy, which encourages post-secondary

institutions to play to their unique strengths, and the revised university and

college funding formula. The Panel notes that some of the recommendations

made by Suzanne Herbert in her 2015 report to government touch on this

important point.

2. Foundational Theme: Labour Market Information

This theme recognizes that it is difficult for parties to find accurate, timely

labour market information with which to make decisions like choosing

a career, developing educational and training programs, or undertaking

workforce planning.

What we know

•Labour market information was widely cited as an area needing urgent

attention. Stakeholders report that any information that is available is on

multiple sites, hard to find, and challenging to interpret and apply to their

particular needs.

•The 2016 Federal Budget reiterated a commitment by the federal government

to provide students, workers, employers and educators with access to timely,

reliable and comprehensive labour market information. It committed to work

collaboratively with provinces and territories to provide information to equip

Canadians with the tools to access a broad range of job opportunities.32

•Labour market trends change rapidly enough that data needs to be regularly

updated and forecasts refined for labour market information to be useful

to people.

•The Panel asked stakeholders to articulate their specific labour market

data requirements.

› Students, adults transitioning within the workforce and guidance

counsellors need: {{ Information on job availability and where these jobs are located;{{ Required education and training for jobs posted;{{ Tasks associated with particular jobs; and{{ Potential salary.

http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/PolicyFramework_PostSec.pdf


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› Employers need regional and sector-based labour market demand

and supply-related data.

› Governments at all levels need data to inform policies and to make

program decisions. Some ministries are using their own centrally

available core data, and are collecting regional and sector-based

data independently.

The goal is ...

Anytime, anywhere access to easy-to-understand, quality assured labour market

information that allows individuals to make decisions about future careers,

employers to plan and find talent, and government to inform policy.


Recommendation 2-1: Working with the federal government, Ontario should

use the Forum of Labour Market Ministers to engage with other provinces and

territories to develop an integrated national labour market information system.

Ontario should take a strong leadership position on this vital issue.

This system should modernize and harmonize data collection (including

Statistics Canada data) for dissemination across all provinces and territories.

The system should also consider better ways of collecting data from employers.

Recommendation 2-2: The Workforce Planning and Development Office should:

•Lead a provincial Labour Market Information Strategy including conducting

an inventory and value scan of currently available labour market information

and data collection (local, provincial, aggregated and disaggregated) on

metrics relevant for both skills development and economic growth across

government ministries.

•Develop an Ontario-specific digital labour market information website to

aggregate existing labour market information websites and data that would

consider the information needs of various audiences.

•Develop options to increase awareness of online resources such as the

Ontario Skills Passport and The Learning Partnership’s Real Talk App.


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•Work with ministry partners to collect and analyze entrepreneurship data

to determine how innovation currently impacts the economy and how the

government can support increased innovation. The Office should leverage

data currently collected from all Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE)

members through a program called Data Catalyst.

3. Experiential Learning and Mentorship

This theme recognizes that real-life experience and the advice and guidance

of mentors can significantly assist entry into the workplace. Experiential

learning goes beyond traditional forms of “learning by doing” such as co-op,

and includes volunteering, apprenticeship, industry-recognized class projects,

and mentorship.

These experiences are valuable for new immigrants, adults and students.

Successful experiential learning programs provide value for the employer as

well as the worker and provide individuals with opportunities to solve problems

and work in interdisciplinary teams. Experiential learning also plays a valuable

role in helping individuals make decisions about future careers and employment

pathways.

The University of Waterloo has become a magnet for recruiters from Google parent Alphabet Inc., Electronic Arts Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., who seek the school’s entrepreneurially-minded engineering graduates. Employers and school leaders say the students understand how to translate engineering projects into viable businesses.

Setting Waterloo apart is its cooperative learning model, which blends academic and practical experience. An in-house incubator, called Velocity, and an affiliated dormitory for student entrepreneurs provides opportunities for funding, mentorship and collaboration, according to the school.33

Wall Street Journal


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The Panel supports learning beyond the classroom

Experiential learning includes:

• co-op education

• work-placement programs

• mentorships

• industry-recognized in-class

projects

• internships

• summer jobs/experience

programs

• volunteer positions

• apprenticeship

What we know

•There is a perception that many employers do not want to participate

in experiential learning programs. However, the Panel found that once

relationships among intermediaries, educational institutions and employers

were formed, employers were eager to participate and saw the value to their

organizations. The Panel heard that many employers established long-term

relationships with their partners. The Panel heard repeatedly that the key

to a successful partnership is a mutual understanding of the needs and

expectations of the partners.

•Employer participation in, and support for, experiential learning programs

tends to be limited because of employer concerns about certain kinds of

administrative and/or operational requirements. This concern is particularly

strong with respect to small and medium-sized enterprises, many of which

have little to no human resource capacity. Employer participation is also

limited due to onerous time/resource requirements associated with

programs and at times misalignment between the required skills and

aptitude of potential hires with business needs. The Panel feels strongly

that experiential learning must become an important component of

business activity at all levels. The Panel heard that intermediaries are often

quite effective at easing the administrative and operational burdens – i.e.,

de-risking, particularly for small and medium sized business.

•Ontario Bridge Training programs help skilled newcomers get their license

or certificate in their profession or trade so they can find employment in

Ontario commensurate with their skills and experience. There are good

examples of employer partnerships in bridge training programs.


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The goal is ...

Increased experiential learning and mentorship opportunities for students

and individuals from underrepresented groups.


Recommendation 3-1: Expand the Specialist High Skills Majors Program from

the current provincial footprint of 14% of all students in grades 11 and 12 to

25% in the next three years. This program provides secondary students an

opportunity to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests.

It also helps with their career development by exposing them to opportunities

in the workforce. The Ministry of Education should work with the Planning

and Partnership Table to expand the number of available program sectors

and generate greater employer participation in this program.

Recommendation 3-2: Work with the Industry Tables to expand opportunities

for experiential learning. As a first step, Ontario should commit to ensure that

every student has at least one experiential learning opportunity by the end of

secondary school (in addition to the existing volunteer requirements). Ontario

should also commit to ensure that every student has at least one experiential

learning opportunity by the time they graduate from post-secondary education.

To support this Ontario should fund more placements (for students in all

disciplines including liberal arts) in the growth sectors identified by the

Planning and Partnership Table.

This recommendation is consistent with the Business Council of Canada’s Higher

Education Roundtable goal that 100% of Canadian post-secondary students

participate in work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities.34

The Ontario Public Service, a large employer in the province, should demon-

strate leadership by expanding experiential learning opportunities within its

ranks. The province could also increase the number of experiential learning

opportunities for people with disabilities.

An intermediary with the capacity to leverage existing employer relationships,

such as Magnet, should develop a process that would match co-op opportu-

nities between employers and students at the secondary and post-secondary

level. This would de-risk participation in co-op programs for educational

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/SHSM.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/group-wants-workplace-stints-for-all-postsecondary-students/article30242669/

http://www.magnet.today/


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institutions and streamline the process for employers. Magnet is a not-for-

profit initiative founded by Ryerson University and the Ontario Chamber

of Commerce.

Recommendation 3-3: The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills

Development should be given the mandate to consult with stakeholders

to develop a modernized apprenticeship system reflective of the current

business climate and focused on the integration of young people into the

trades. This modernization could include moving all education components

of an apprenticeship to the beginning of the program and establishing a

central application process for anyone wanting to enter.

Recommendation 3-4: As a condition of funding through the Jobs and

Prosperity Fund – a fund providing $2.5 billion over 10 years to enhance

productivity, bolster innovation and grow Ontario’s exports – require recipients

to provide a certain number of experiential learning opportunities for

post-secondary students, new immigrants and adults transitioning within

the workforce. The number of the experiential learning opportunities should

be based on organization size.

Recommendation 3-5: To be responsive to business needs, post-secondary

institutions should allow and recognize longer (8-12 months) co-op

placements.

Recommendation 3-6: Ensure adult learners have access to quality learning

opportunities (including experiential learning) that are adaptable and

appropriate to their needs and contexts.


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4. Promotion of Multiple Career Pathways

This theme recognizes that a fast-changing economy means constantly

evolving options for jobs and careers. Students, new immigrants and adults

transitioning within the workforce need a greater awareness and a real under-

standing of all the career possibilities, traditional and non-traditional, that are

available to them, including the steps to get there. This includes careers in the

arts, technology/innovation, and skilled trades as well as entrepreneurship.

What we know

•Parents and guardians have a strong influence on students’ decisions

regarding career pathways. However, the Panel heard that they are often

not aware or not accepting of all the options available.

•Today’s innovation-driven, science-based economy presents a clear

opportunity to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)

pathways in new and attractive ways. For example, jurisdictions like British

Columbia are introducing computer coding to the K-12 school curriculum.

This not only provides students with an opportunity to learn skills for careers

in technology, but helps them improve core transferable competencies like

problem solving and the ability to think creatively.

•Throughout the engagement process, the Panel heard about the importance

of building capacity in teachers and instructors in the K-12/Adult Credit

systems, to support the development of a highly skilled workforce. Educators

may require additional professional development to teach students how to

use new and emerging technologies. Without this teacher training, the full

potential of technology is not being realized.

Students should be encouraged to keep many doors open, to maximize opportunities.

Even if we know what we want to do, they should still encourage us to look into other programs, including at colleges.

It would be beneficial to have students who have experienced the process come back and help out.

Education Minister’s Student Advisory Council


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•Intermediaries play an important role in supporting new immigrants

and adult learners by providing opportunities for them to meet, network,

and obtain counselling about career options, and the skills required for

these jobs.

The goal is ...

For individuals to understand the multiple learning pathways to many careers,

and for students to have earlier exposure to non-traditional career pathways,

including entrepreneurship and innovation.


Recommendation 4-1: Review on a priority basis the Guidance and Career

Education curriculum to ensure that it exposes students to a variety of learning

pathways and opportunities and develop a plan to support guidance counselling

including a professional development strategy and supports for all classroom

teachers.

Recommendation 4-2: The Ministry of Education should develop a strategy

to provide students in the K-12 system with exposure and access to the science,

engineering and technology fields. This strategy should be complementary to

Ontario’s recently announced Math Strategy and use similar tools. This strategy

should leverage best practices and innovative approaches already in existence,

and use intermediaries where necessary to augment existing curriculum.

Recommendation 4-3: Provide professional development opportunities for

teachers with a counselling role, to expand their knowledge of current and

future labour market needs. This could include working with Local Employment

Planning Councils, local business groups and other intermediaries.

Recommendation 4-4: Intermediaries such as the Brookfield Institute for

Innovation + Entrepreneurship and Youth Fusion, with a demonstrated

capacity to design and implement industry-recognized experiential learning

projects, should work with school boards to introduce innovative practices

designed to expose students to different career pathways in and outside

the classroom.

https://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2016/04/ontario-dedicating-60-million-for-renewed-math-strategy.html

http://brookfieldinstitute.ca/


https://www.fusionjeunesse.org/en/


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ZerotoStartup: Celestica and Ryerson University have developed a joint

initiative that provides young people between the ages of 12 to 17 with an

experiential foundation in technology and exposure to entrepreneurship.

It is supported by education that not only empowers young innovators

to dream up the new companies of the future, but also to build the

necessary skills to serve those new companies.

Recommendation 4-5: School boards should work with employers and

intermediaries to develop community approaches to career counselling that

provide students with exposure to role models and positive examples of

traditional and non-traditional careers.

Youth Fusion is an example of an intermediary that contributes to

creating closer links between training and employment while working

to lower dropout rates. At-risk students have an opportunity to work

on educational projects spanning 10 different fields. Employers from

industries tied to the projects are also brought in as mentors to intro-

duce students to career options and also shepherd them through the

process of completing their projects.35

Recommendation 4-6: Recognize that the Canadian military annually releases

into the general economy thousands of highly trained individuals many of

whom are anxious to pursue second careers. Employers, community leaders,

policy makers, and intermediaries should be aware of and take advantage of

this highly skilled labour pool and build bridges to it.


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5. Strategic Investment in Human Capital

This theme recognizes that it is as important for a successful company to invest

in its employees as it is to invest in equipment or other forms of capital.

What we know

•There are several reasons why employers, especially small and medium-sized

enterprises, are not investing in human capital. These include:

› Uncertainty around economic conditions and the return on their

investment;

› High costs of training by third-party providers, causing an over-reliance

by employers on ad hoc or informal training arrangements;

› Fear that an employee will find another job/be offered another job as a

result of additional training; and

› Few relationships with education and training partners.

•Employers and intermediaries support cluster-based, sectoral and regional

approaches to training and human capital development. These approaches

reduce competition between employers by increasing the likelihood of

employer participation in programs.

•The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation conducted a study to

look at the effectiveness of workplace literacy and essential skills training

in the Accommodations and Food Service sector in eight provinces.

It found:

› Significant gains in productivity;

› Reduced error rates;

› Reduction in hiring costs; and

› Significant positive return on investment.36


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Large companies are increasingly looking to recruit or develop employees with strong social and emotional skills. Employers are looking for graduates who show nimbleness: an ability to navigate challenging and ambiguous environments. In a competitive labour market, applicants who display these traits are more likely to be hired and, over time, singled out for promotion.37

Business Council of Canada

The goal is...

For Ontario employers to appreciate that human capital is as valuable and

necessary to business and productivity growth as other forms of capital, and

to proactively invest in employees including underrepresented groups.


Recommendation 5-1: Launch a program that “franchises” successful in-house

training programs developed by large employers, for adaptation by small and

medium-sized enterprises. These models should support employees throughout

the entire job continuum.

Recommendation 5-2: Launch a new training program for existing workers

in their workplace to allow these individuals to acquire the skills and literacies

that are required to adapt to the changing nature of their work or workplace.

Recommendation 5-3: Establish a “First Look” hiring process that requires

employers who receive government contracts to consider qualified workers

from local employment and training programs. The priority should be placed

on hiring individuals from underrepresented groups. This builds on a model

recently introduced by New York City.

New York City’s First Look hiring process requires employers receiving

City business to review and consider local qualified workers from

workforce development programs at the front end of their hiring process. In the 2015 fiscal year, the City spent over $17 billion in

contracting. The City is committed to leveraging that purchasing

power to get more opportunities for New Yorkers.38

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/careerpathways/strategy/our-strategy.page


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We worked with a mining company in Northern Ontario that identified a staffing need. We connected with 10 Indigenous youth who were seeking employment opportunities but needed math upgrades. The employer guaranteed employment to participants upon completion of academic upgrades. We worked with a local educational institution to develop and deliver a training program. The mining company created a classroom within the mine. Nine out of 10 individuals completed the upgrading and secured employment with the mining company.

Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres

We work alongside Toronto’s hospitality industry to provide new highly trained talent, and develop existing staff for higher performance and growth. Our training is designed to fulfill the current needs of the industry. The hospitality industry of Toronto actively participates in curriculum development and provides avenues for training placements and employment opportunities for our graduates. We also offer training courses to existing hospi-tality workers to help them advance professionally and personally. We work closely with the union, UNITE HERE Local 75, to offer free training opportunities for members. Our training programs for the current hospitality workforce provide skills that support individuals’ advancement and mobility and help them access more hours and gain transferable skills. Also, we regularly offer computer and English classes at Hotel and Food Service properties to help build skills that support career and life goals.

Hospitality Workers Training Centre

The Siemens Canada Engineering and Technology Academy Pilot was

launched in conjunction with five universities and colleges in Ontario

and Alberta. Students are offered a full-time salary and tuition fees as

part of their participation in the program, and also gain theoretical and

real-life business learning experiences. They are partnered with mentors

and placed as fully-active team members in business units.


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6. Skills and Competencies

This theme recognizes that there is a skills and competencies gap – both real

and perceived – and that it needs to be closed. The Panel broadly defines this

gap as the difference between the skills and competencies that employers need,

and the skills and competencies that are available in prospective employees.

During engagement, the Panel found that the existence, extent and nature of

Ontario’s skills gap depends on the region and/or sector being examined, and

that no single solution or stakeholder would be able to close this gap.

In some cases, the skills gap can be closed by an upskilling program that is

shorter than a full degree or diploma.

What we know

•In some cases, skills gaps were perceived rather than real because:

› Individuals might have the right set of skills and credentials for a job

based on education and experience, but do not know how to articulate

their skill set to potential employers;

› Employers are unable to articulate what they are looking for in an

employee beyond the credential required for a job; and

› Employers do not always pay a competitive wage commensurate

with the skills level required.

•Many jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union and the

Asia Pacific region, have or are developing competency-based assessment

frameworks.39 These frameworks can help employers gain an understanding

of the specific competencies that are required for a job, making the recruit-

ment process more efficient. They can also help workers get the right

on-the-job support and training to make advancement possible.

•As part of the consultation held on modernizing the province’s university

funding formula, stakeholders noted that learning outcomes such as the

development of transferable skills, including critical thinking, problem

solving, leadership, and communication, should be measured. The perception

was that students are not always aware of such skills even when they acquire

them and, as a result, they may not be able to describe them when seeking

employment.40


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› Post-secondary institutions can do a better job of measuring and

credentialing the general cognitive and transferable skills that have

been identified as important to the labour force, and identifying which

teaching practices and schooling experiences most help in the develop-

ment of these skills.41

› Skills such as critical thinking, ability to work in teams, creativity, problem

solving and resilience were all recognized by stakeholders as important,

and these align with the top skills for workers in 2020 as identified by

The World Economic Forum.42 The Panel considers these skills to be

complementary to core learning as gained through training and

traditional education, including the arts, and through participation

on sports teams.

Competency frameworks are helpful because they articulate the business and industry requirements that are essential components for the delivery of curriculum, skill assessment instruments, and certifications.

Canada West Foundation, 201643

Canada has one of the best-educated, most highly-credentialed work-

forces in the world – but that doesn’t mean it is the most competent.

In a world where competencies are the new credentials, Canadian

workers could become even better at their jobs if we took some lessons

from other jurisdictions. Slow adoption of competency frameworks is

creating missed opportunities.

Canada West Foundation44


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The goal is...

To shift focus away from solely measuring traditional credentials – i.e., degrees

and diplomas – to better recognizing competencies that speak to important

skills in the workplace.


Recommendation 6-1: The Ministries of Advanced Education and Skills

Development and Education and employers should collaborate with partners

on the development of an Ontario-specific skills and competencies framework,

using the experiences of other jurisdictions as a guide.

Ontario should demonstrate leadership at the Forum of Labour Market Ministers

table by proposing a strategy for a national competency framework.

Recommendation 6-2: Working together, the Industry Tables and the Planning

and Partnership Table should identify “skills gaps” in the growth sectors and

launch a short term training program specifically targeted at unrepresented

groups, to better allow them access to employment opportunities in those

growth sectors. The program could be delivered using the bridge training

model and include a career guidance component.

This program should be funded on the basis of outcome metrics (e.g., quality

of placement, duration of employment) and include an evaluation to inform

future programs and policies.

Recommendation 6-3: Identify promising practices for the teaching of the

competencies that are necessary for the current and future economy, such as

problem solving, team work, and entrepreneurial spirit across curricular and

extra-curricular learning opportunities, including through the arts, sports, math

and science. The importance of these competencies should be communicated

to students, employers, educators and parents.

Recommendation 6-4: Universities, colleges and private career colleges

should look at ways to shift focus to needed skills and competencies.


Government’s Role in Implementation

Throughout the engagement process, the Panel heard that the government

cannot act alone to properly equip the workforce with the skills required for

the jobs of today and tomorrow. It was made plain to the Panel that the proper

role for government beyond establishing a good policy framework is to play

an enabling and catalytic role.

The Panel recommends that the Ontario government play a leadership role

in implementing the following four recommendations:

1. Establishing the Planning and Partnership Table (Recommendation 1-1);

2. Establishing the Workforce Planning and Development Office

(Recommendation 1-2);

3. Working with the federal government to drive an integrated national

labour market information system (Recommendation 2-1); and

4. Expanding opportunities for experiential learning in the K-12/Adult

Credit and post-secondary education system (Recommendation 3-2).


Role of the Federal Government

The Panel has identified ways in which the Canadian government can support

the growth of Ontario’s highly skilled workforce. These are informed by

recommendations made in the 2012 report Public Services for Ontarians:

A Path to Sustainability and Excellence (The Drummond Report).

1. Greater control of immigrant selection process

It is imperative that recent immigrants can integrate into Ontario’s labour force.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is the province’s selection

program to retain international students and skilled foreign workers with Ontario

credentials and work experience. Ontario’s international student nominees

demonstrate strong economic outcomes – over 82% are employed in high skilled

occupations and report average earnings of over $61K. Despite this success, the

OINP is limited to a small annual allocation of 5,500 which represents only 5%

of skilled immigrants coming to Ontario. The federal government is responsible

for the selection of 95% of Ontario’s skilled immigrants.45

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program allows Ontario to nominate,

for permanent residency, individuals who have the skills and experience

to contribute to Ontario’s economy, and assists employers in recruiting

and retaining foreign workers. The program is operated in partnership

with the federal government.46

The Panel believes the province should work with the federal government to

gain greater control over its immigrant selection so it can better respond to the

needs of its economy and employers and, when necessary, retain and recruit

top global talent.

ACCES Employment: This is a service provider that works with a network

of over 1,000 companies across the Greater Toronto Area to provide

experienced and job-ready new immigrants to employers through a

customized recruitment and engagement process. The organization

http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/pnp/


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engages corporate supporters at the leadership level to advise

on programs and services to ensure they are responsive to employer

needs. ACCES also collaborates with other community partners and

complementary service providers to coordinate services to meet

newcomers’ needs.

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): “We have hired

40 employees from various ACCES Employment programs. These

individuals are highly trained, bring languages and international

experience that allow us to better serve our clients. They have become

a competitive advantage for BDC. We have found these employees to

be very loyal to the company since we were often the first employer

to reach out, recognizing the value of their international skills.”

2. More flexible labour market transfers

The Panel has heard that many Ontarians – including youth, recent immigrants

and members of Indigenous communities – need help improving their skills to

succeed in the labour market. It has also heard that the province’s productivity

and competitiveness depend upon improving workers’ abilities across a broad

spectrum of skill levels.

Unfortunately, the federal funding meant to support provincial employment and

training programs does not meet the true needs of Ontario’s labour market and

often unfairly restricts access for those who need it most. For instance, the

majority of people in Ontario who are unemployed – and nearly all of Ontarians

with very low skill levels – are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI). And yet,

almost 70% of federal funding for Ontario’s employment and training programs is

restricted to workers who are currently or were recently on Employment Insurance.

To help build a highly skilled workforce, Ontario requires greater flexibility with

federal funding to support its vision for a modern employment and skills training

system that helps all Ontarians succeed.

In this context, the Panel urges the federal government to:

•Offer greater flexibility for Ontario to meet the real needs of its workforce

by broadening client and program funding eligibility; and

•Allocate labour market transfers to provinces and territories equitably,

using a per capita funding formula.


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The Panel strongly supports the Drummond Report recommendation that the

province should advocate for a comprehensive training agreement that provides

provinces with enough flexibility to better align and integrate programs and

services, and to identify and respond to fluid labour-market needs.

Recommendation 7-1: The Province must engage the federal government

on a priority basis to improve and effect meaningful change to labour market

transfers, to better meet the employment and training needs of all Ontarians.

Labour Market Development Agreements: To help unemployed

Canadians quickly find and return to work and to develop a skilled

labour force that meets current and emerging needs of employers, the

Government of Canada has entered into labour market development

agreements with provinces and territories.

Through these agreements, Government of Canada funding enables

provinces and territories to design, deliver and manage skills and employ-

ment programs for unemployed Canadians, particularly for those who

are eligible for Employment Insurance benefits.47

Canada Job Fund: This Fund includes the Canada-Ontario Job Grant

which focuses on equipping people with the skills and training they

need to fill available jobs. The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides

direct financial support to employers who wish to purchase training

for their employees.48

Recommendation 7-2: The Province should work with the federal government

to conduct a coordinated, evidence-based review of training programs. The

Province should also encourage the development of a National Skills Strategy

and play a leadership role with the federal government.


to take a human capital/talent approach to new federal funding programs, for

example, new investments in Indigenous Communities and in the Low Carbon

Economy.


Measuring Success

It is crucial that progress be monitored, measured and reported as Ontario

works to grow a highly skilled workforce. This should occur on a provincial

level and on a regional/local level, where possible.

The Panel recognizes that a one-size-fits-all set of metrics for the entire prov-

ince is not viable. Ontario’s diverse regions require unique solutions. Therefore,

the Panel recommends tailored, program-specific evaluation approaches to

measuring success in different regions. For example, the government could

explore opportunities to provide funding for employment and training programs

based on quality outcomes (e.g., full-time work, wage growth, job continuity)

and not outputs (e.g., number of placements, number of clients served).

High level metrics such as graduation rates and unemployment rates remain

important across the province. Metrics should be developed and adopted with

consideration of program partners and the populations and communities the

programs serve. Particular attention should be paid to measuring competencies

and skills required for the current and future workforce, and the success of

expanded employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples, people with

disabilities, youth, and new immigrants. For example, the Panel recognizes

Ontario’s recently announced Math Strategy, to help support students achieve

better results in mathematics, as an important investment for the increasingly

knowledge-based economy. The Panel recommends that this Math Strategy

be carefully monitored and evaluated to ensure that better results are achieved

in mathematics.

Collecting data on a variety of metrics at provincial, regional/local and program

levels will provide the government with a baseline to measure progress and to

assess any necessary program modifications.

Recommendation 8-1: The Workforce Planning and Development Office should

work with the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation and the Planning and

Partnership Table to develop a performance evaluation framework and metrics

to measure the impact of Panel recommendations as implemented by the

government and partners.


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Measuring Success

The Panel recommends development of metrics and targets in the following

areas:

•Experiential learning/mentorship at the K-12 and post-secondary level;

•Effectiveness of employment and training service programs;

•Learning outcomes, such as the development of competencies in

post-secondary students in order to increase employment readiness

of graduates;

•Education outcomes and pathways into pre-apprenticeship and apprentice-

ship programs including the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship program and the

Dual Credit Program;

•Adult literacy and numeracy rates;

•Employer and post-secondary partnerships;

•Rate of entrepreneurship (e.g., number of new businesses, new growth-oriented

enterprises formed, number of businesses closing, number of self-employed

individuals, etc.);

•Outcomes from underrepresented groups referenced in this report; and

•Employer investment in training and mentorship.

Metrics should be reviewed annually, and key performance indicators and

targets should be revised as appropriate. The Planning and Partnership Table

should be responsible for issuing an annual report with annual metrics.


Conclusion

A highly skilled workforce is central to the strength and prosperity of Ontario,

now and in the future. The Panel believes the recommendations made in this

report will materially assist Ontario and its workforce achieve what is required

in these fast moving, globally competitive, technologically-driven times.

The Panel calls upon all parties to work together on this critically important

challenge. While the urgency is real, the opportunity is great. Collaboration,

creativity and commitment should be the order of the day.


Acknowledgements

The Panel wishes to thank the people and organizations from all over the

province who took the time to meet with us, to share their stories and

experiences, best practices, and expert advice:

•Academics/education stakeholders/post-secondary institutions;

•Labour organizations;

•Students/student associations;

•Intermediaries;

•Not-for profit organizations;

•Business associations;

•Employers;

•Regional roundtable participants; and

•Advisory groups and task forces.

The Panel also wishes to thank government partners for informing this report:

•Employment and Social Development Canada (Federal)

•Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs

•Ministry of Children and Youth Services

•Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade

•Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure

•Ministry of Education

•Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

•Ministry of Finance

Certain ontario ministry names were changed on June 13, 2016.

Lastly, the Panel wishes to thank staff at Cabinet Office as this report could

not have been researched, compiled, and written without your dedicated

assistance.


References

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en/2016/05/high-school-graduation-rate-reaches-all-time-high-of-855-

per-cent.html

2. Ontario Ministry of Finance. Ontario 2016 Budget. 2016. Accessed April 2016.

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2016/ch1c.html#s13

3. The World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and

Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 2016.

4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Promising

Practices for Strengthening the Regional STEM Workforce Development

Ecosystem (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2016)

5. Ontario Ministry of Education. Renewed Math Strategy. Ontario Newsroom.

April 4, 2016. Accessed April 2016. https://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2016/04/

ontario-dedicating-60-million-for-renewed-math-strategy.html

6. Ibid.

7. Statistics Canada. Skills in Canada: First Results from the Programme for the

International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). 2013. Page 13.

8. Ibid. Page 19.

9. Ibid. Page 17.

10. Ibid. Page 21.

11. ABC Webinar. Canada’s Economic and Social Future Depend on Reducing

Our Skills Mismatches. April 19, 2016. Presenters: T. Scott Murray, Principal,

Data Angel, Janet Lane, Director, Centre for Human Capital Policy, Canada

West Foundation.

12. The Pan-Canadian Assessment Program. 2013 Report on the Pan-Canadian

Assessment of Science, Reading, and Mathematics. Page 121.

13. Ibid. Page 127.

https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2016/05/high-school-graduation-rate-reaches-all-time-high-of-855-per-cent.html






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14. Ibid. Page 129.

15. Michael Grant. Brain Gain 2015: The State of Canada’s Learning Recognition

System, Ottawa: The Conference Board of Canada. 2016.

16. Ministry of Finance, based on data from the Statistics Canada Labour Force

Survey, 2015.

17. Ibid.

18. Partnership Council on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities.

Initial Report. August 28, 2015. Accessed April 2016. https://www.ontario.ca/

page/partnership-council-employment-opportunities-people-disabilities-

initial-report?_ga=1.198094255.1048430562.1460571484

19. Statistics Canada. 2015 Labour Force Survey.

20. Ontario Ministry of Finance. Ontario’s Long-Term Report on the Economy.

April 2, 2014. Accessed April 2016. http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/

ltr/2014/ch1.html#ch1_s4

21. Statistics Canada. Labour force characteristics by immigrant status, by detailed

age group. Catalogue number 282-0104 in Statistics Canada [database

online]. Ottawa, Ont., 2015 [accessed April 14, 2016]. Available from: http://

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Accessed April 14, 2016.

22. McKinsey & Company. Youth in Transition: Bridging Canada’s Path from

Education to Employment. 2015.

23. Deloitte. Age of disruption: Are Canadian firms prepared? 2015. Accessed

April 2016. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/

insights-and-issues/ca-en-insights-issues-future-of-productivity-2015.pdf

24. The Conference Board of Canada. Developing Skills: Where Are Canada’s

Employers? 2014. Accessed April 2016. http://www.conferenceboard.ca

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canada_s_employers.aspx#ftn1-ref

25. Klaus Schwab, “The new key to economic growth is unlocking latent talent,”

The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2015, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

report-on-business/rob-commentary/the-new-key-to-economic-growth-is-

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2016/03/eleven-signs-a-city-will-succeed/426885/

27. Business Council of Canada. Developing Canada’s future workforce: a

survey of large private-sector employers. 2016. Accessed April 2016.

http://thebusinesscouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Developing-

Canadas-Workforce-March.pdf

28. Thomas A. Kochan, David Finegold, Paul Osterman. “Who Can Fix the

“Middle-Skills” Gap?” Harvard Business Review. December 2012, accessed

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29. Conference Board of Canada. “Six Things to Think About When Starting

an Education–Business Partnership.” Accessed May 10, 2016. http://www.

conferenceboard.ca/topics/education/commentaries/16-01-12/six_things_

to_think_about_when_starting_an_education%E2%80%93business_part-

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30. Business Council of Canada. Canada Business/Higher Education Roundtable

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31. Government of Ontario. Ontario Launches Centre for Workforce Innovation

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April 2016. https://news.ontario.ca/tcu/en/2016/02/modernizing-employment-

and-training-services-for-ontario-jobseekers.html

32. Government of Canada Department of Finance. 2016 Budget. 2016. Accessed

April 2016. http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/plan/ch1-en.html#_

Toc446106674

33. Lindsay Gellman, “Why Silicon Valley Recruiters Are Flocking to Ontario”,

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silicon-valley-recruiters-are-flocking-to-ontario-1462385408 accessed

May 2016.

34. Simona Chiose, “Group wants workplace stints for all postsecondary

students,” The Globe and Mail, June 2, 2016. Accessed June 2016.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/group-wants-workplace-

stints-for-all-postsecondary-students/article30242669/

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/03/eleven-signs-a-city-will-succeed/426885/

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/03/eleven-signs-a-city-will-succeed/426885/

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https://hbr.org/2012/12/who-can-fix-the-middle-skills-gap

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http://www.fusionjeunesse.org/en/

36. The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation. UPSKILL: A Credible

Test of Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills Training. 2014. Accessed April

2016. http://www.srdc.org/media/199770/upskill-final-results-es-en.pdf

37. Business Council of Canada. Developing Canada’s future workforce: a

survey of large private-sector employers. 2016. Accessed April 2016.

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Canadas-Workforce-March.pdf

38. New York City. De Blasio Administration Announces Overhaul Of Workforce

Development To Focus On Good-Paying Jobs, Skill-Building, And Strengthening

New York City’s Economy. November 21, 2014. Accessed April 2016.

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administration-overhaul-workforce-development-focus-good-paying-jobs-#/0

39. Canada West Foundation. SMARTEN UP It’s Time To Build Essential Skills 2015.

Accessed April 2016. http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CWF_

HCP_SmartenUp_Report_JUN2015.pdf

40. Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Focus on Outcomes,

Centre on Students: Perspectives on Evolving Ontario’s University Funding

Model. 2015. Accessed March 2016. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/audiences/

universities/uff/UniversityFundingFormulaConsultationReport_2015.pdf

41. Ibid.

42. World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and Workforce

Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. January 2016.

43. Canada West Foundation. SMARTEN UP It’s Time To Build Essential Skills 2015.

Accessed April 2016. http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CWF_

HCP_SmartenUp_Report_JUN2015.pdf

44. Canada West Foundation – Centre for Human Capital Policy. Competence IS

THE Best Credential. 2015.

45. Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade Data 2016.

46. Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade.

“Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.” Accessed April 20, 2016.


http://www.fusionjeunesse.org/en/

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http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CWF_HCP_SmartenUp_Report_JUN2015.pdf


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47. Government of Canada. “Labour Market Development Agreements.”

Accessed April 20, 2016. http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/training_agreements/

lmda/index.page

48. Ibid.

49. Canadian Business Insights. How Essential-Skills Training Unlocks Business

Value. May 15, 2014. http://www.canadianbusiness.com/insights/literacy/

50. Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Focus on Outcomes,

Centre on Students: Perspectives on Evolving Ontario’s University Funding

Model. 2015. Accessed March 2016. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/audiences/

universities/uff/UniversityFundingFormulaConsultationReport_2015.pdf

http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/training_agreements/lmda/index.page

http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/training_agreements/lmda/index.page

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/insights/literacy/




Glossary of Terms

Apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is an on-the-job training program for people

who want to work in a skilled trade or occupation and includes learning new

skills from skilled journeypersons. There are currently 150 apprenticeable

trades in Ontario in four sectors: construction, industrial/manufacturing,

motive power and service.

Bridge training programs. Ontario Bridge Training programs help skilled

newcomers get their license or certificate in their profession or trade, so that

they find employment commensurate with their skills and experience in

Ontario. The Government of Ontario funds employers, colleges and universities,

occupational regulatory bodies and community organizations to deliver

bridge training programs, with support from the Government of Canada.

Each bridge training program is unique, but in general they are designed

to give internationally trained individuals:

•an assessment of their education and skills

•clinical or workplace experience

•skills training or targeted academic training

•preparation for a license or certification examination

•occupation-related language training

•individual learning plans to identify any added training needed

Competency. An ability or skill.

Credential. A document or certificate proving a person's qualifications.

De-risking. Easing the administrative or operational burden of participation

in a program.

Dual credit programs. Dual Credit Programs are ministry-approved programs

that allow students, while they are still in secondary school, to take college or

apprenticeship courses that count towards both the Ontario Secondary School

Diploma (OSSD) and a post-secondary certificate, diploma, degree or a Certificate

of Apprenticeship.


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Glossary of Terms

Experiential learning. The process of learning or developing skills and abilities

by placing students in workplaces, or in environments that simulate workplaces,

so that they can learn while doing. In partnership with employers, this may

include apprenticeship training, co-op placements, mentoring, and internships.

Forum of Labour Market Ministers. The Forum of Labour Market Ministers

is composed of provincial and territorial ministers and the federal minister

responsible for labour market issues. It is co-chaired by the federal government

(Employment and Social Development) and a lead province (currently the

Government of Québec). The lead province role has a two year rotation, with

Québec in the role until March 31, 2017.

The Forum´s current work is focused on priorities that include: labour market

information, labour mobility, foreign qualifications recognition, programming

flexibility, productivity issues, and strengthening apprenticeships.

Human capital. The individual and collective skills, knowledge, or other assets

of individuals that can be used to create economic value for the individuals,

their employers, or their community.

Intermediary. People or organizations that act as a link between multiple

stakeholders in order to bring about an agreement or facilitate common goals.

Journeyperson. A certified Journeyperson is recognized as a qualified and

skilled person in a trade.

Labour market. The supply of available workers relative to available work or

employment opportunities.

Literacy. The ability to read and write; knowledge that relates to a specified

subject.

Local champion. A respected and often well-known person in the community

who promotes, nurtures, and advocates on behalf of a particular project or

initiative.

Local Employment Planning Councils (LEPCs). Ontario has launched LEPC

pilots as part of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development

work to modernize employment and training programs and services. LEPCs will

promote place-based approaches to workforce development, while generating

and analyzing local labour market information.


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Glossary of Terms

Mentorship. An opportunity by which someone teaches or gives help and

advice to a less experienced and often younger person.

Numeracy. The ability to use numbers and mathematical approaches in a

range of contexts and to solve a variety of problems.

Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation. The Ontario Centre for Workforce

Innovation is a new centre of excellence in research and innovation that will

improve the province’s employment and training programs that support

jobseekers’ readiness for and success in the job market.

Twelve partner organizations, led by Ryerson University, will lead the new

centre. The Centre will drive innovation in Ontario’s employment and training

system.

It will research the most successful employment and training programs in

Canada and abroad, and use solid evidence to develop pilot projects that

address emerging labour market challenges in Ontario.

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program. The Pre-Apprenticeship Training

Program helps potential entrants to the apprenticeship system develop

their job skills and trade readiness so they will be prepared to find work as

apprentices. Programs are up to 52 weeks in duration and may include the

Level 1 apprenticeship in-school training or relevant apprenticeship training,

relevant safety training and an 8 to 12 week work placement. Programs

may also include trade readiness, employment preparation and academic

upgrading. The Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program is open to a wide

range of clients including:

•high school graduates

•early school leavers

•unemployed/underemployed youth and adults

•Employment Insurance/non-Employment Insurance eligible

•Indigenous peoples

•newcomers to Canada


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Glossary of Terms

Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). PIAAC is an international survey conducted in over 40 countries by the

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It measures

the key cognitive and workplace skills needed for individuals to participate in

society and for economies to prosper.

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA is a triennial

international survey conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation

and Development (OECD), which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide

by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. To date, students

representing more than 70 economies have participated in the assessment.

Red Seal trades. Designated Red Seal trades are governed by regulations

under the Provincial and Territorial Apprenticeship Acts. These regulations

outline the administrative procedures and in some cases the standards and

conditions of training for specific trades (e.g. methods of registering apprentices,

curriculum, accreditation, and certification). There are currently 57 designated

red seal trades in Canada.

Skills. Demonstrated abilities gained from training, experience, or practice.

Specialist High Skills Majors. The Specialist High Skills Major Program is a

Ministry of Education-approved specialized program that allows students

to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the

requirements to graduate from secondary school. It also assists in their

transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university

or the workplace.

Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada is a federal government agency

commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada,

its population, resources, economy, society, and culture.

Strategic Mandate Agreements. Agreements between the Ministry of

Advanced Education and Skills Development and all 45 publicly assisted

colleges and universities. The agreements make sure institutions are connected

to various levels of the economy – from local to global – so students can gain

experience through opportunities such as co-op programs and applied

research, helping them create new businesses or find highly skilled work

that will benefit Ontario.

http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/vision/


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Glossary of Terms

Trades

•Compulsory trade: A trade in which registration as an apprentice,

journeyperson candidate or certification as a journeyperson is mandatory.

There are currently 22 skilled trades that are designated “compulsory”.

•Voluntary trade: Every trade that is not identified as compulsory is, by

default, voluntary. Certification is offered in some voluntary trades,

but is not a requirement to practice in the trade.

Work-integrated learning. A formal program or arrangement between

partners to enable students and individuals to learn while working on the job.


Appendix A: Summary of Recommendations

Foundational Theme: Partnerships and Local Leadership

Recommendation 1-1: Establish a Planning and Partnership Table (PPT) jointly

chaired by representatives from employers, education and government. This Table

would be a formal, institutionalized body responsible for driving change and

developing actionable solutions related to skills, talent development and

experiential learning opportunities. This PPT should not be a government-driven

body but rather a mechanism in which all partners are invested and action is

their primary concern.

Membership would include: employers,

students, labour, educational institutions,

training agencies, intermediaries,

Employment Ontario service providers,

Indigenous and community

organizations.

The mandate would include:

•Developing a three-year provincial

implementation plan for growing a

highly skilled workforce.

•Supporting the administration and

evaluation of new and existing pilot

projects.

•Enhancing employer engagement

in the collection and dissemination

of provincial and local labour

market information.


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•Developing approaches to “institutionalize” pilot projects that have

demonstrated best practices, and measuring the success of these pilots.

•Engaging employers and their associations directly in addressing the

barriers and challenges faced with hiring people with disabilities.

•Ensuring that all workers in Ontario display cultural competency that

includes knowledge and awareness of First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories

and rights.

•Building culturally competent, safe and inclusive workplaces.

Growth Sectors

The Planning and Partnership Table would focus on developing solutions

for Ontario’s priority growth sectors. Growth sectors should be selected by

the PPT, using the following criteria:

•High potential for growth in the short, medium and longer-term.

•Impact on the current economy.

•Impact or anticipated impact of technological and demographic change

on present and future staffing needs.

•Demonstrated capacity for collaboration.

•Nature and transferability of skills required.

•Priority placed on talent development.

Industry Tables would be established as sub-groups of the Planning and

Partnership Table. The organization of these Tables should build on the

well-established model found in colleges and in parts of the university

system. Membership would include: employers (particularly those from the

growth sectors identified by the PPT), labour, post-secondary institutions,

training agencies, intermediaries, service providers, and Indigenous and

community organizations.


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Industry Tables would be selected based on growth sectors or regions selected

by the PPT. These Industry Tables would be responsible for:

•Addressing mismatches between labour market supply and demand in

the sectors or regions.

•Leveraging existing relationships with employers to determine the skills

and qualifications that employers are seeking, and develop solutions to

align curriculum, training and experiential learning opportunities for

students, new immigrants and adults transitioning within the workforce

to address these needs.

•Sharing best practices to inform provincial strategies.

Recommendation 1-2: Establish a Workforce Planning and Development Office,

in the provincial government, to drive the delivery of the Panel’s recommenda-

tions and to support the government’s role at the Planning and Partnership Table.

The Panel feels strongly that this Office should have an inter-ministerial orientation

and be outward looking. The mandate of this Office would include:

•Leading initiatives that support workforce planning where key partnerships

between employers, community and educational institutions are critical.

•Collaborating with employers, labour, educational institutions, training


organizations to monitor and discuss the impact of the changing nature of

the workplace on the existing and new labour force. This information would

be reported to the PPT, as required.

•Monitoring policy files that intersect economic growth and talent develop-

ment, including adult education, immigration, employment and training,

the Business Growth Initiative and regional economic development, and

identifying opportunities for greater alignment and coordination.

•Applying a talent development lens to major government policy initiatives,

such as the recently announced Climate Change Action Plan, Patients First:

Action Plan for Health Care, and response to the Truth and Reconciliation

Commission recommendations.

•Commissioning research and evaluation on emerging and priority areas of

labour focus and impact for example, the changing technological nature

of the workplace.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/business-growth-initiative


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•Giving oversight of the current pilot being run by the Ministry of Advanced

Education and Skills Development regarding the Local Employment Planning

Councils (LEPCs).

•Giving oversight of workforce planning boards and the Ontario Centre for

Workforce Innovation.

•Collaborating with employment and training organizations that work with

underrepresented groups to understand current barriers to their accessing

employment and develop appropriate solutions to support increased

representation in the labour market.

•Working with the federal government to identify opportunities for alignment

and collaboration.

Recommendation 1-3: To ensure focused implementation of recommendation

1-1, incent sector specific partnerships between post-secondary institutions and

employers using the Differentiation Policy, which encourages post-secondary

institutions to play to their unique strengths, and the revised university and

college funding formula. The Panel notes that some of the recommendations

made by Suzanne Herbert in her 2015 report to government touch on this

important point.

Foundational theme: Labour Market Information

Recommendation 2-1: Working with the federal government, Ontario should

use the Forum of Labour Market Ministers to engage with other provinces and

territories to develop an integrated national labour market information system.

Ontario should take a strong leadership position on this vital issue.

This system should modernize and harmonize data collection (including

Statistics Canada data) for dissemination across all provinces and territories.

The system should also consider better ways of collecting data from employers.

Recommendation 2-2: The Workforce Planning and Development Office should:

•Lead a provincial Labour Market Information Strategy including conducting

an inventory and value scan of currently available labour market information

and data collection (local, provincial, aggregated and disaggregated) on

metrics relevant for both skills development and economic growth across

government ministries.



http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/PolicyFramework_PostSec.pdf


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•Develop an Ontario-specific digital labour market information website to

aggregate existing labour market information websites and data that would

consider the information needs of various audiences.

•Develop options to increase awareness of online resources such as the

Ontario Skills Passport and The Learning Partnership’s Real Talk App.

•Work with ministry partners to collect and analyze entrepreneurship data

to determine how innovation currently impacts the economy and how the

government can support increased innovation. The Office should leverage

data currently collected from all Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE)

members through a program called Data Catalyst.

Experiential Learning and Mentorship

Recommendation 3-1: Expand the Specialist High Skills Majors Program from

the current provincial footprint of 14% of all students in grades 11 and 12 to

25% in the next three years. This program provides secondary students an

opportunity to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests.

It also helps with their career development by exposing them to opportunities

in the workforce. The Ministry of Education should work with the Planning

and Partnership Table to expand the number of available program sectors and

generate greater employer participation in this program.

Recommendation 3-2: Work with the Industry Tables to expand opportunities

for experiential learning. As a first step, Ontario should commit to ensure that

every student has at least one experiential learning opportunity by the end of

secondary school (in addition to the existing volunteer requirements). Ontario

should also commit to ensure that every student has at least one experiential

learning opportunity by the time they graduate from post-secondary education.

To support this Ontario should fund more placements (for students in all

disciplines including liberal arts) in the growth sectors identified by the

Planning and Partnership Table.

This recommendation is consistent with the Business Council of Canada’s Higher

Education Roundtable goal that 100% of Canadian post-secondary students

participate in work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities.34

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/SHSM.html



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The Ontario Public Service, a large employer in the province, should demonstrate

leadership by expanding experiential learning opportunities within its ranks. The

province could also increase the number of experiential learning opportunities

for people with disabilities.

An intermediary with the capacity to leverage existing employer relationships,

such as Magnet, should develop a process that would match co-op opportunities

between employers and students at the secondary and post-secondary level.

This would de-risk participation in co-op programs for educational institutions

and streamline the process for employers. Magnet is a not-for-profit initiative

founded by Ryerson University and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

Recommendation 3-3: The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills

Development should be given the mandate to consult with stakeholders to

develop a modernized apprenticeship system reflective of the current business

climate and focused on the integration of young people into the trades.

This modernization could include moving all education components of an

apprenticeship to the beginning of the program and establishing a central

application process for anyone wanting to enter.

Recommendation 3-4: As a condition of funding through the Jobs and

Prosperity Fund, a fund providing $2.5 billion over 10 years to enhance

productivity, bolster innovation and grow Ontario’s exports, require recipients

to provide a certain number of experiential learning opportunities for

post-secondary students, new immigrants and adults transitioning within

the workforce. The number of the experiential learning opportunities should

be based on organization size.

Recommendation 3-5: To be responsive to business needs, post-secondary

institutions should allow and recognize longer (8-12 months) co-op

placements.

Recommendation 3-6: Ensure adult learners have access to quality learning

opportunities (including experiential learning) that are adaptable and

appropriate to their needs and contexts.

http://www.magnet.today/


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Promotion of Multiple Career Pathways

Recommendation 4-1: Review on a priority basis the Guidance and Career

Education curriculum to ensure that it exposes students to a variety of

learning pathways and opportunities and develop a plan to support guidance

counselling including a professional development strategy and supports for

all classroom teachers.

Recommendation 4-2: The Ministry of Education should develop a strategy

to provide students in the K-12 system with exposure and access to the

science, engineering and technology fields. This strategy should be

complementary to Ontario’s recently announced Math Strategy and use

similar tools. This strategy should leverage best practices and innovative

approaches already in existence, and use intermediaries where necessary

to augment existing curriculum.

Recommendation 4-3: Provide professional development opportunities for

teachers with a counselling role, to expand their knowledge of current and

future labour market needs. This could include working with Local Employment

Planning Councils, local business groups and other intermediaries.

Recommendation 4-4: Intermediaries such as the Brookfield Institute for

Innovation + Entrepreneurship and Youth Fusion, with a demonstrated

capacity to design and implement industry-recognized experiential learning

projects, should work with school boards to introduce innovative practices

designed to expose students to different career pathways in and outside

the classroom.

Recommendation 4-5: School boards should work with employers and

intermediaries to develop community approaches to career counselling

that provide students with exposure to role models and positive examples

of traditional and non-traditional careers.

Recommendation 4-6: Recognize that the Canadian military annually releases

into the general economy thousands of highly trained individuals many of

whom are anxious to pursue second careers. Employers, community leaders,

policy makers, and intermediaries should be aware of and take advantage of

this highly skilled labour pool and build bridges to it.




https://www.fusionjeunesse.org/en/


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Strategic Investment in Human Capital

Recommendation 5-1: Launch a program that “franchises” successful in-house

training programs developed by large employers, for adaptation by small and

medium-sized enterprises. These models should support employees throughout

the entire job continuum.

Recommendation 5-2: Launch a new training program for existing workers

in their workplace to allow these individuals to acquire the skills and literacies

that are required to adapt to the changing nature of their work or workplace.

Recommendation 5-3: Establish a “First Look” hiring process that requires

employers who receive government contracts to consider qualified workers

from local employment and training programs. The priority should be placed

on hiring individuals from underrepresented groups. This builds on a model

recently introduced by New York City.

Skills and Competencies

Recommendation 6-1: The Ministries of Advanced Education and Skills

Development and Education and employers should collaborate with partners

on the development of an Ontario-specific skills and competencies framework,

using the experiences of other jurisdictions as a guide.

Ontario should demonstrate leadership at the Forum of Labour Market Ministers

table by proposing a strategy for a national competency framework.

Recommendation 6-2: Working together, the Industry Tables and the Planning

and Partnership Table should identify “skills gaps” in the growth sectors and

launch a short term training program specifically targeted at unrepresented

groups, to better allow them access to employment opportunities in those

growth sectors. The program could be delivered using the bridge training

model and include a career guidance component.

This program should be funded on the basis of outcome metrics (e.g., quality

of placement, duration of employment) and include an evaluation to inform

future programs and policies.

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/careerpathways/strategy/our-strategy.page


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Recommendation 6-3: Identify promising practices for the teaching of the

competencies that are necessary for the current and future economy, such as

problem solving, team work, and entrepreneurial spirit across curricular and

extra-curricular learning opportunities, including through the arts, sports, math

and science. The importance of these competencies should be communicated

to students, employers, educators and parents.

Recommendation 6-4: Universities, colleges and private career colleges

should look at ways to shift focus to needed skills and competencies.

More Flexible Labour Market Transfers

Recommendation 7-1: The Province must engage the federal government

on a priority basis to improve and effect meaningful change to labour market

transfers, to better meet the employment and training needs of all Ontarians.


to conduct a coordinated, evidence-based review of training programs. The

Province should also encourage the development of a National Skills Strategy

and play a leadership role with the federal government.


to take a human capital/talent approach to new federal funding programs, for

example new investments in Indigenous Communities and in the Low Carbon

Economy.

Measuring Success

Recommendation 8-1: The Workforce Planning and Development Office

should work with the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation and the Planning

and Partnership Table to develop a performance evaluation framework and

metrics to measure the impact of Panel recommendations as implemented

by the government and partners.

The Panel recommends development of metrics and targets in the following areas:

•Experiential learning/mentorship at the K-12 and post-secondary level;

•Effectiveness of employment and training service programs;


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•Learning outcomes, such as the development of competencies in

post-secondary students in order to increase employment readiness

of graduates;

•Education outcomes and pathways into pre-apprenticeship and

apprenticeship programs including the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship

program and the Dual Credit Program;

•Adult literacy and numeracy rates;

•Employer and post-secondary partnerships;

•Rate of entrepreneurship (e.g. number of new businesses, new

growth-oriented enterprises formed, number of businesses closing,

number of self-employed individuals, etc.);

•Outcomes from underrepresented groups referenced in this report; and

•Employer investment in training and mentorship.

Metrics should be reviewed annually, and key performance indicators and

targets should be revised as appropriate. The Planning and Partnership Table

should be responsible for issuing an annual report with annual metrics.


Appendix B: Proposed Timelines for Implementation

(First 6 Months) (1-2 Years) (2 +Years)

Short-term Recommendations

Page #

Medium-term Recommendations

Page #

Long-term Recommendations

Page #

1-1 20 1-3 23 3-3 28

1-2 22 2-1 24 4-1 30

2-2 24 3-1 27 4-5 31

3-4 28 3-2 27 4-6 31

5-1 33 3-5 28 6-2 37

5-3 33 3-6 28 6-3 37

8-1 42 4-2 30 6-4 37

4-3 30

4-4 30

5-2 33

6-1 37

7-1 41

7-2 41

7-3 41


Appendix C: What the Panel Heard

To inform this report, the Panel met with educational institutions, employers,

students, business associations, business leaders, labour, community organiza-

tions, and government organizations. The following section highlights some of

the recurring feedback heard from stakeholders.

Growing a highly skilled workforce is a shared responsibility

•Training, education and employment need to be a shared responsibility

among individuals, institutions, training agents, employers, intermediaries

and all levels of government.

•While some community partnerships that focus on skills development do

exist in Ontario, they do not exist on a broad scale. Successful partnerships

need to be promoted to serve as models and as inspirations. Local leaders

need to champion local initiatives and projects that focus on skills develop-

ment to encourage greater participation within the community.

•Businesses, educational institutions, intermediaries, and unions should be

working more closely together to develop a talent pool that possesses the

skills and competencies to drive growth and to increase Ontario’s competitive-

ness for the knowledge-based innovative economy of the future.

Local labour market information is needed to inform decisions

•Employers, students, educators, individuals re-entering the labour market,

new immigrants, labour organizations, government ministries and munic-

ipalities are increasingly looking for regional labour market information to

inform decisions.

•Multiple bodies distribute labour market information, including government

ministries. This creates a complex web of information that is difficult to

navigate.


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Experiential learning is an effective way to develop the skills and competencies employers are seeking

•Students need more opportunities for high-quality experiential learning

during K-12/Adult Credit and post-secondary education, including exposure

to entrepreneurship. Experiential learning is also valuable for new immigrants

and adults transitioning within the workforce.

•Employer participation is the biggest challenge to scaling-up existing

experiential learning programs. Many small businesses are not aware of

programs that are designed to fill the “skills gap” such as bridge training

programs, Specialist High Skills Majors, and/or cannot afford the staff to

coordinate involvement.

•Skilled trades are important to Ontario’s economic growth. However,

Ontario’s apprenticeship system, which is a sub-set of experiential learning,

is outdated and the system is designed in such a way that students and

employers find it difficult to establish partnerships.

Individuals are not aware of the full array of education and career options available to them

•Students have limited access to career guidance throughout the K-12 system

and find it challenging to make career decisions. Students who do receive

career guidance actively seek it out. Effectively guiding students means

exposing them to multiple fields and helping them to find and pursue their

passions, which can range from arts, music and drama to science and math.

Apprenticeship should be promoted as a pathway to entrepreneurship.

› Students would like career planning embedded earlier and throughout

the curriculum in both the K-12/Adult Credit and post-secondary

education systems.

•There are opportunities to better promote all career paths (including

colleges and apprenticeships) and entrepreneurial pathways in the

K-12/Adult Credit system (over and above the mandatory Grade 10 Career

Studies course) at Employment Ontario service providers and other

intermediaries.


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The full benefit of strategic human resource planning is not being realized

•Business leadership and strategic thinking, which includes workforce

planning and training, are consistent factors in sectors that are growing.

•Firms that have workers with higher essential skills, including literacy and

numeracy, report higher employee retention rates, lower absenteeism,

and increased production quality and productivity.49

Competencies are as important as credentials

•“Social and emotional skills” are as valuable as technical skills: all sectors

cite teamwork and project management skills as being as important as

traditional skills such as math and reading.

•Individuals need to develop their existing skills and competencies, or acquire

supplementary skills and competencies, to round out and enhance their

skills set. This can often be done through the completion of short training

and development programs, courses or projects (e.g., micro-credentialing

or nanodegrees).

•In 2015, Ontario held consultations on modernizing the province’s university

funding model. Concerns heard included:

› employment readiness and value for money: participants stated that

universities need to focus more on developing skills that match job

expectations as measured by students’ knowledge of a specific discipline

when they graduate.50


Appendix D: Panel Mandate and Scope of Work

In fall 2015, Ontario appointed five members to The Premier’s Highly Skilled

Workforce Expert Panel (the “Panel”). The group is composed of Chair Sean

Conway and members Dr. Carol Campbell, Robert Hardt, Alison Loat and

Pradeep Sood.

The Panel was asked to develop a strategy to help the province’s workforce

adapt to the demands of a technology-driven knowledge economy. During its

tenure, the Panel was to assess how well the workforce was positioned to meet

the needs of Ontario’s economy and recommend an integrated approach for

the government to bridge education, training and skills development with the

demands of an evolving economic landscape.

Ontario chose the Panel members based on their professional experience,

knowledge of the business climate, relationships with a cross-section of

stakeholder groups and understanding of employers, the education and

public sectors, and issues related to the labour market. The Panel engaged

with stakeholders, including primary and secondary schools, post-secondary

institutions, employers, labour organizations, students and youth, seniors,

immigrant-serving organizations, people with disabilities and Indigenous

communities.


Appendix E: Expert Panel Member Biographies

Sean Conway, Chair

Sean Conway is a Visiting Fellow with the Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson

University, and a Public Policy Advisor with Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP.

From 1975 to 2003, he was a member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

During the Government of David Peterson (1985-90), Mr. Conway served as

Minister of Education, and as Minister of Colleges, Universities and Skills

Development. He has also served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the

Ontario Centres of Excellence.

Mr. Conway holds a graduate degree in history from Queen’s University. Upon

leaving the legislature, Mr. Conway was the recipient of the Churchill Society

Award for Excellence in the Cause of Parliamentary Democracy.

Dr. Carol Campbell

Dr. Carol Campbell is Associate Professor of Leadership and Educational Change

at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.

Dr. Campbell is Education Adviser to the Premier and Minister of Education.

She is known for her commitment to combining evidence from professional

knowledge and research to develop professional capacity for educational

improvement.

Dr. Campbell is Director of the Knowledge Network for Applied Education

Research, a partnership between the Ontario Ministry of Education, University

of Toronto and Western University to advance the mobilization and application

of research and professional knowledge to improve educational practices in

Ontario. Previously, Dr. Campbell was Senior Executive Officer for The Literacy

and Numeracy Secretariat and was appointed Ontario’s first Chief Research

Officer for Education. She is a former Executive Director of the Stanford Center

for Opportunity Policy in Education at Stanford University.


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Dr. Campbell holds a doctorate degree from the University of Strathclyde and

was previously an academic at the Institute of Education, University of London

and a policy advisor for government and school districts in the U.K.

Robert Hardt

Robert Hardt is President and CEO of Siemens Canada Limited. Mr. Hardt, an

electrical engineer by training, regularly contributes to the manufacturing and

technology dialogue in national media and through speaking engagements.

He is passionate about developing the engineering profession and enhancing

skills education in Canada and has built strong relationships between industry

professionals and educational institutions.

Mr. Hardt is the Chair of the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and

Commerce and an active member of the Business Council of Canada, The

Learning Partnership, International Chief Executives in Canada (The Conference

Board of Canada) and is on the Advisory Council, Manufacturing for the

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.

Mr. Hardt holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Technical

College Aachen in Germany and started his career with Siemens AG in 1988.

He joined Siemens Canada in 2007, holding several senior management

positions prior to being named President and CEO in 2012.

Alison Loat

Alison Loat is co-founder of Samara, a charitable non-partisan organization

that improves political participation in Canada, and former Executive Director

(2008-2015), when she led strategy, business planning, resource development

and operations. Previously, she worked at McKinsey & Company, where she led

teams that developed strategies for businesses and governments in Europe

and North America.

Ms. Loat holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Queen’s University and

a Masters of Public Policy degree from Harvard Kennedy School. For her work in

public service, she received the Public Policy Forum’s Youth Leaders Award and

the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals. Ms. Loat was named one of the

Women Executive Network’s 100 Top Women in Canada in 2013 and is a World

Economic Forum Young Global Leader.


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Pradeep Sood

Pradeep Sood is Chairman of Highbury Canco Corporation, a food processing

company. He is Founder and Owner of XactScribe Inc., an Ontario-based tran-

scription company using digital technology, and CEO of Starling Corporation,

a management consulting company that provides advice to small businesses

on market research, business development, supply chain, and financing.

Mr. Sood was formerly Chair of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Director

of the Toronto Regional Board of Trade and Director of the Canadian Chamber

of Commerce. He has had the honour of serving on business boards on all

three levels of government.

Passionate about giving back to the community, Mr. Sood supports a number of

community organizations, including the Royal Ontario Museum, Harbourfront

Centre, the Textile Museum of Canada and the Bridgepoint Health Foundation.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Honours) from Delhi University

and has a Chartered Accountants designation from the Institute of Chartered

Accountants of India. He is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors at

the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.


Appendix F: Summary of Stakeholders Consulted

Academics/education stakeholders/ post-secondary institutions

• Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)

• Career Colleges Ontario

• Colleges Ontario

• Colleges Ontario Committee of Presidents

• Council of Ontario Directors of Education

• Council of Ontario Universities (Presidents)

• Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow at Queen’s University

• Graham Orpwood, Professor Emeritus, York University

• Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

• Industry Education Council of Hamilton

• Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity/Martin Prosperity Institute

• Mohawk College

• Niagara College

• Ontario Association of Adult & Continuing Education School Board Administrators

• Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association

• Ontario College of Teachers

• Ontario School Counsellors Association

• Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute (NishnawbeAski Nation)

• People for Education

• Ross Finnie, Full Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa

• Seneca College

Teachers’ federations

• Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association

• Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation

Students / student associations

• Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario

• College Student Alliance

• Minister’s Student Advisory Council

• Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council (Chiefs of Ontario)

• Ontario Student Trustees’ Association (OSTA-AECO)

• Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

• Premier’s Youth Opportunities Council

• Regroupement étudiant franco-ontarien (REFO)


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Intermediaries

• Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario

• ACCES Employment

• Canadian Association of Retired Persons

• Centre for Social Innovation

• Communitech

• Futurpreneur Canada

• Hospitality Workers Training Centre

• Innovonomics

• LinkedIn

• Magnet

• MaRS Discovery District

• ONESTEP

• Ontario Centres of Excellence

• Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation

• Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

• Ontario Tourism Education Centre

• Pathways to Education

• Riipen

• Skills Ontario

• The Learning Partnership

• Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council

Not-for Profit organizations

• ABC Life Literacy

• Frontier College

• Martin Aboriginal Initiatives

• Yves Landry Foundation

Business associations / Professional associations

• Business Council of Canada

• Business Council of Canada’s Business-Higher Education Roundtable

• Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters

• Council of Ontario Construction Associations

• Human Resources Professional Association

• Ontario Chamber of Commerce

• Ontario Home Builders’ Association

• Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association

• Ontario Society of Professional Engineers

• Residential Construction Council of Ontario

• Toronto Financial Services Alliance

Indigenous Partners

• Chiefs of Ontario

• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres

Employers

• Baylis Medical

• Bombardier

• Business Development Bank of Canada

City of Hamilton Blue Ribbon Task Force

• ArcelorMittal Dofasco

• City of Hamilton


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• Hamilton Chamber of Commerce

• Hamilton Economic Development

• Hamilton Workforce Planning

• Maple Leaf Foods

• Mohawk College

• US Steel Car

Renfrew County Skilled Workforce Strategy Forum with educators, employers, labour market planners hosted by Algonquin College Pembroke Campus

• Algonquin College Ottawa

• Algonquin College Perth Campus

• Bishop Smith Catholic School

• Bonnechere Manor

• Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

• City of Pembroke

• Community Futures

• County of Renfrew

• Eastway

• EGM Insurance

• Hindjua Global Solutions

• KI

• Labour Market Group, Algonquin College Pembroke

• National Research Council

• Pembroke Hospital

• Renfrew County Catholic School Board District

• Renfrew County District School Board

• Renfrew Industrial Commission

• Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce

Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Service Delivery Advisory Group

• Centennial College (Toronto)

• Collège Boréal

• COSTI Immigration Services; Past President, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

• Employment, Skilled Trades, ESL & Immigrant Services

• Job Zone d’emploi

• KEYS Job Centre; President, Board of Directors, First Work

• Loyalist College

• MiziweBiik Aboriginal Employment and Training

• Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board (CESBA)

• Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects (ONESTEP)

• Sioux Hudson Literacy Council

• Southwest Centre for Community Programme Development (also known as Community Employment Services)

• Unemployed Help Centre of Windsor Inc.

• Victoria County Career Services

• VPI Inc.

• YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford (aka YMCA Careerworx)

• YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce

• Youth Employment Services (North Bay)


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Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board/County of Simcoe Roundtable with Employers and Educators

• County of Simcoe

• Creemore Breweries

• Deerhurst Resort/Horseshoe Resort

• District of Muskoka

• Fern Resort

• Georgian College

• Horseshoe Resort

• Innovative Automation

• Jarlette Health Services

• Lakehead University

• MacLean Engineering

• Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities Regional

• Ontario Provincial Police

• Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board

• Tanger Outlet Mall

• Weber Manufacturing Technologies

• YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka

Round table with representatives from the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council

• County of Hastings

• Eastern Ontario Regional Network

• Natural Capital Resources Inc.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce Roundtable with employers

• BMP Metals

• GVA Lighting

• iS5 Communications Inc.

• Inflamax Research Inc.

• Macro Engineering

• Ontario Chamber of Commerce

• Therapure Biopharma

• Veriday

• York Metals

Government

• Employment and Social Development Canada (Federal)

• Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs

• Ministry of Children and Youth Services

• Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade

• Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure

• Ministry of Education

• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

Labour organizations

• Canadian Union of Public Employees

• Canadian Union of Skilled Workers

• International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

• Labour Education Centre

• Ontario Federation of Labour

• Ontario Nurses’ Association

• Ontario Society of Energy Professionals

• Public Service Alliance of Canada


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Other

• Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship

• Consulate General of Canada in Dallas

• City of Ajax

• Griffiths-Sheppard Consulting Group

• McKinsey and Company

• Ontario College of Trades

• Partnership Council on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities

• Tom Zizys, Metcalf Foundation Fellow

Printed on recycled paper

ISBN 978-1-4606-8347-7 (Print)ISBN 978-1-4606-8348-4 (HTML)ISBN 978-1-4606-8349-1 (PDF)

16-093

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2016

BUILDING Foundational Theme · 2016. 7. 7. · weighed the ideas, opinions, and advice we have...

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Transcript of BUILDING Foundational Theme · 2016. 7. 7. · weighed the ideas, opinions, and advice we have...